Signé ; Léon-Paul Fargue / Touchagues - Charme de Paris [envoi et dessin original] - 1941

This is an exceptional and unique copy of a highly sought-after art book for bibliophiles. You are describing a precious edition of Charme de Paris by the poet Léon-Paul Fargue (often spelled Fargues), illustrated by Louis Touchagues, published by Denoël in 1945.

What makes your copy truly extraordinary and one-of-a-kind on the collecting market are its unique features (the inscribed dedications and the original drawing).

The base book: Charme de Paris (1945) is a large folio-format work (a very large book). It contains 50 color lithographs by Louis Touchagues, printed by the renowned Mourlot workshop. The normal total print run generally ranges between 350 and 420 copies depending on the papers.

The original drawing by Touchagues: This is a major addition. In addition to the 50 lithographs printed in series, the artist drew an original work on a separate sheet.

The first autographed inscription: An “envoi” is a signed dedication. Here, the text or the drawing is dedicated to “my friend Paul.” It may be a dedication signed by the illustrator Touchagues (which accompanies his drawing) or by the author Léon-Paul Fargue (who would be addressing another Paul).

The second inscription the following month: This is the greatest curiosity of your description. A second inscription, written one month after the first, testifies to a particular human story. For example, the book may have been offered once, then shown to the author or the illustrator a month later to add a note, a private joke, or an additional expression of affection.

The drawing appears to be signed by both — Touchagues and Fargue — thus widening the circle of the “Paul”s:
Paul Valéry, Paul Éluard, Paul Claudel, Paul Poiret, Paul Léautaud

Unpaginated work.